The invention relates generally to electronic monitoring devices, and more particularly to an apparatus for activating and dispensing an electronic monitoring device.
Electronic monitoring devices are used in a wide range of applications to record and monitor various conditions and events. Monitoring conditions, such as temperature, is important in many industries involving products that are sensitive to specific conditions. In particular, electronic monitoring devices have found increasing use in the food industry to record and monitor conditions under which items such as perishable goods have been shipped and/or stored.
Data loggers are portable electronic monitoring devices that can record measurements such as temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, on/off, open/closed, voltage, pressure, and events over time. Typically, data loggers are small, battery-powered devices that are equipped with a microprocessor, data storage and sensor. Data loggers may be programmed to take specific measurements at desired time intervals.
Data loggers are typically activated or programmed by connecting them to a computer that can be used to send and retrieve data to and from the data logger. Data loggers can also be activated by manual operation, such as a switch or push button. After the data logger has been activated it is usually positioned or deployed in a desired location for data gathering. The logger records each measurement and stores it in memory. The loggers can typically also record the date and time at which the measurement was taken. At a desired time, the data contained within the data logger is retrieved by reconnecting the data logger to a computer or similar device.
Data loggers may also employ radio frequency identification (RFID) communication protocols to activate, program, and send or retrieve data to and from the data logger. The use of RFID technology in electronic monitoring devices allows the devices to be quickly activated for immediate use. For instance, an RFID reader in communication with a computer can be used to activate and program data loggers at a point of shipping or packaging. Alternatively, data loggers can be programmed in batch and stored adjacent to a shipping station for subsequent manual activation. The data loggers can then be manually activated at a later time for immediate deployment.
In some instances data loggers may be defective, fail to properly activate, or be improperly activated (e.g., incorrect temperature limit settings or time interval for data logging). The failure of a data logger to properly activate may not be readily apparent, and in some circumstances, may not be discovered until after the data logger has already been deployed. As a result, the unactivated, improperly activated, or defective data logger will fail to measure and record the desired readings in the desired manner.